‘I am holding Jesus’ hand.’
Can you imagine mum and dad holding hands with a young child on either side of them holding a parent’s hand?
It was a beautiful day in Buenos Aires. We were walking together, enjoying the day, greeting neighbours. We noticed one of our sons with one hand holding his mum’s and the other hand extended outwards. Mum asked,
‘Why are you holding out your hand?’
‘I’m holding Jesus’ hand.’
Can you imagine sitting with tear-swollen eyes to write the death notice of a loved one?
Whatever you write will seem inadequate. Yet, the words will be part of the loved one’s, and your own, legacy.
What to write? What to treasure?
Reading the death notices one sun-soaked morning in Singapore I could begin to grasp the legacy of one woman. The notice said, ‘(woman’s name) completed the pilgrimage of her earthly life and entered into glorious eternal life in Christ.
Jesus said ‘I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in Me will never die.’ John 11: 25,26’
Can you imagine listening to a Christian worker suffering for his clear witness to Christ?
Sadness so near; self pity so absent. What to say? Then you hear him, ‘I have been encouraged in my Bible reading. It says, ‘we are oppressed on every side, but Christ.’ Christ is with us. Christ knows. He is our strength.’
Can you imagine being asked to speak to an assembly hall bursting with the energy of high school students?
What do you say? An experienced and much loved teacher helped me: ‘Tell them that Jesus gives them a reason to live and a reason to die.’
These are stories of Jesus.
There are many more.
They are life giving.
When do we get to tell them?
How can we make more opportunities to tell of Jesus and his love?
Can you imagine if all the churches got together and saturated the media with stories about people making sense of life because of Jesus?
Well that is what is happening in Tasmania right now. ‘Jesus. All about life’ is the theme of a media campaign currently underway throughout Tasmania.
What an opportunity to speak the Jesus’ stories.
Seize the day, speak of Jesus.
All about life.
Shalom,
John